Carton flap clamp



July 14, 1959 M. ECKSTEIN CARTON FLAP CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April15, 1957 R. m m m July 14, 1959 M. ECKSTEIN CARTON FLAP CLAMP FiledApril 15. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 11 055115 $65372? BY cartonside walls during filling operations,

This invention relates: generally to';clamps, but more specifically toclamps to, secure carton flaps against the A mainfeature of theinvention resides in the provision of a clamp structure-of angularformation for application to thecornersof packing cartons for purposesof retaining the carton flaps against the side walls of ithe container.during the filling operation. 1

A further feature pf tj heinventionresides in the provision of a clamp.structure for securing corner flap portions of a carton againstthejcorrespondihg sidewalls to retain the flaps in an out of the wayposition during the filling operation of the carton, and wherein thesaid clamp structure is easily removable from the corners of the 'cartonafter the latter has been filledand the carton is ready to be closed. yr r A further feature of the invention resides in the provi- 'sion of aclamp structure of the""abdve tyjaewhieh is self adjustable to wall andflap thicknesses of a carton, which is easily applied to the corners ofa carton While the flaps are temporarily held in folded down position,and which is easily removed after the purpose of the clamp structure hasbeen fulfilled.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a clampstructure for not only maintaining the flaps in a folded down positionduring the packaging or filling of the carton but which also lendsitself to a reinforcement of the corners and adjacent edges of thecarton when in open position during the filling operation, and forprevention of tears thereat.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a clampingstructure which is capable of being produced by a simple stampingoperation, which is efficient in operation, easy to apply and remove andwhich takes up negligible additional space when applied to the carton.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the inventionwill hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointedout in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification are drawings showing preferred forms ofthe invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing one form of a clampingstructure, the subject of the invention.

Figure 2 is a View in section across the plane 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a View in perspective of a modified form of a clampingstructure.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of Figure 3 across the plane 4-4 thereof.

Figure 4a is a view in section of the clamp of Figure 3 as applied tocarton walls and showing the mode of operation thereof.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective showing a type of container to whichthe clamping structures of the invention herein are applicable.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective showing a carton having flaps turnedinwardly against the outer faces of United States Patent 0 clampingmember as 2,894,308 Patented July 14,1959

the side walls thereof'and also showing the manner in which aclampingstructure is appliedto one of the corners.

Figure 7 is a view in perspective showing howthe two side and one frontflap of a carton are"maintained'in folded down position by use of a pairof corner clamping structures forming the subjectof the invention.

In accordance with'the invention and the formsshown,

v numeral 10 indicatesgenerally an ordinarypacking car- 10 flaps 11-14.The purpose of the clamping structure herein is to fold such flapsagainst the corresponding outer faces of the sidewalls of the front,side and rear 'walls to provide free and unhampered access to t he mouthof the carton and eliminate extra space taken by the projection oftheflaps either on the outside of the car-ton thereby interfering withfreedom of operation of the filling operatorpor projection of thejfiapsin 'the inside of the carton thereby interfering withthe capacity Aclamping structure thus "is provided generally iridicated by numeral 15,nd is in the form ofla of "siiiiil'ar and irivcr ted? apedclampirigmaste Each j l .s aQ j idfi i ni ui r i "16,a topwall 17 aiid 'aninnleg18. The inner edge of the short leg of each clamping member is joinedfor angular disposition of the clamping members as indicated by commonedge 19. In most cases the angulation between the individual clampingmembers joined at common edge 19 is preferably degrees, but theangulation may assume any angle. For this reason it is preferable thatthe clamping structure be formed of resilient and flexible metallicmaterial to make the same adjustable at least in angulation.

As shown the outer leg 16 of each of the clamping members is longer thanthe inner leg 18, each outer leg at the bottom being provided with anupwardly turned edge or flared portion 20 for facilitating hand removalof the clamp when applied to a corner of carton 10.

The distance between the outer and inner legs 16 and 18 is controlled bythe joining top wall 17, and this distance may be dictated by thethickness of the carton walls for proper effectiveness.

It is to be observed that outer leg 16 of each of the clamping membersis more elongated than the inner leg 18 for giving the clamping memberstability in holding on to the corners of the carton. Moreover, the topwalls 17 of the clamping members serve to engage the intersecting corneredges of the carton including the fold of the flap members when thelatter are folded against the outer faces of the walls of the carton.

In another modified form of the structure, the front wall of eachclamping member is provided wtih a re silient tongue and clampingelement for effecting clamping pressure of the flaps lying along theouter faces of the walls of the carton. Thus, intermediate the width ofeach of the outer legs 16 is a tongue cut-out 2-1 and an end expandedcut-out 22 thereby forming a resilient strip 23 and a bottom terminalbowl-shaped element 24 which are otfset inwardly whereby tongue 23serves as a spring and 24 as a clamping element against the flaps asbest shown in Figure 4a. In this form of the invention, an added widthof top wall 17 of each of the clamping members may be used toaccommodate different sizes and the flaps are maintained in folded inposition.

since tongue 23 and element 24 acommodate themselves to variations incarton thickness.

As shown in Figure 8, the old method of keeping flaps down utilizedgummed tape which is a time consuming and messy procedurefor thispurpose.

As shown in Figure 6, the clamping structure is merecorners of thecarton as indicated in Figure 7, the corners After forcing the clampingstructure into the and top edges are reinforced to prevent tearingthereat For removal of the clamping structure it is merely necessary 7to lift the same from the flared portions 20.

The clamping structure above described may be manufactured by a stampingand folding operation as becomes obvious in view of the fact that theclamping structure isformed from a single blank. Thus by viewing Figures1 and 3 it is seen how a single blank may be provided having a fold lineequivalent to the integration edge 19 at the inner .walls 18. The blankis further provided with a straight vertical cut thereabove and inalignment with told line 19 to form the inner continuous and spacededges of outer legs 16 and top walls 17. Transverse fold lines areprovided to form the longitudinal edges of the top walls 17. The tongue13 and clamping element 24- are formed from the blank by a cuttingoperation.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in theintegration, size, location and size of parts may all be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims.

, ing carton flaps against the carton side walls, comprising a pair ofsimilar and inverted U-shaped resilient clamping members, each clampingmember having an outer long and an inner short leg, the inner edge ofthe short leg of each clamping member being joined for angulardisposition of the clamping members and the ends of the outer long legshaving an outwardly flared oifset to serve as a hand grasping means forapplication and removal of the corner clamp.

2. A packing carton removable corner clamp for clamping carton flapsagainst the carton side walls, comprising a pair of similar and invertedmetallic U-shaped resilient clamping members, each clamping memberhaving an outer and inner leg, a rounded wall joining the outer andinner legs of each of the clamping members, the inner edge of the innerleg of each clamping member being joined for angular disposition of theclamping members.

3. A packaging carton removable corner clamp as set forth in claim 2wherein the outer long leg of each clamping member at the lower end isoffset to servev as a hand grasping means for removal of the cornerclamp.

4. A packing carton removable corner clamp for clamping carton flapsagainst the carton side walls, comprising a pair of similar and invertedU-shaped clamping members, each clamping member having an outer andinner leg, the inner edge of the inner leg of each clamping member beingjoined for angular disposition of the clamping members, the outer leg ofeach of said members having an inwardly directed resilient clampingtongue cooperating with the inner leg of said members and said outer legalso having an oifset on the bottom thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.58,153 Maker June 14, 1921 231,727 Nahe Aug. 31, 1880 2,168,911 MeyerAug. 8, 1939

